Watermark Champion Lakes: Perth’s Answer to Ramsay Street

25 Sep 2024

Taylor Burrell Barnett is proud to be the lead planning and urban design consultant for Watermark Champion Lakes, an innovative estate by Yolk Property Group in the City of Armadale.

Recently featured in The West, this forward-thinking development is Perth’s answer to Ramsay Street, aiming to create not just a place to live but a thriving, connected community where good neighbours become good friends.

Watermark reimagines how streets can function, with a focus on connection, play, and nature. Yolk Property Group has flipped the traditional concept of a front yard, bringing the backyard to the front, encouraging social interaction and fostering camaraderie among residents. With features like chess tables, hopscotch, four-square, and little libraries along the estate’s pedestrian-friendly “green street,” Watermark is designed to get people outdoors and interacting with their neighbours.

Tao Bourton, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Yolk Property Group, highlights the importance of this design approach: "The design for Watermark demonstrates how we can break away from the typical structure of a residential street to reduce the risks of loneliness and social isolation. We’re giving people reasons to get out of their house and connect with neighbours in the streets and parks.”

Taylor Burrell Barnett has been involved in the project since its inception, delivering the Champion Lakes Gateway Precinct Local Structure Plan and working through the complex planning and policy requirements with DevelopmentWA. Our team continues to play a key role in the project’s progression, coordinating multiple stages of subdivision and Local Development Plans to bring this vision to life.

Designing for Connection and Sustainability

A standout feature of Watermark is its commitment to creating a socially connected and environmentally sustainable community. The development will include a commercial precinct, which will serve as a focal point for residents and visitors alike. The precinct is proposed to include a microbrewery, café, gym, and office spaces, enhancing the vibrancy of the lakeside community. Pocket parks, shade trees, and lush planting will extend into the verges and front gardens, providing a seamless connection between private spaces and the public realm.

The estate’s pedestrian green street has been carefully designed to encourage interaction while also delivering environmental benefits. With around 10% less road surface and 30% more trees and vegetation than typical residential streets, the design aims to reduce the estate’s heat mass and create cooler, more pleasant outdoor spaces. This integration of nature within the streetscape is not only a boon for sustainability but also plays a crucial role in improving residents' physical and mental wellbeing.

 

A Model for the Future

Watermark’s innovative approach to urban design sets a new standard for future developments. By prioritising social spaces and encouraging interaction, Yolk Property Group and Taylor Burrell Barnett are demonstrating how developers can play a role in addressing social isolation and creating more connected, resilient communities.

Importantly, the design concept behind Watermark is scalable and adaptable. Tao Bourton believes that similar pedestrian green streets could be retrofitted into existing suburbs across Australia, transforming the way people interact with their neighbours and their environment.

As work progresses on the estate’s pedestrian green street and civil works for 101 lots in Stages 2 and 3, Watermark is well on its way to becoming one of Perth’s most forward-thinking and connected communities.

Discover more about Taylor Burrell Barnett's role in this project here

Visit the dedicated Watermark website here

This article is a summary of City of Armadale to have its own Ramsay Street-style development with Watermark in Champion Lakes by Raquel de Brito from The West Australian: read it here.